Range finder to continuously determine range utilizing a reticule having indicia

ABSTRACT

The device and method relates to a range finder which can be used in conjunction with guns, cameras and similar articles, the device employing a source of radiant energy to produce a spot on the target, the spot being discernible on a reticule, the line of sight and the beam of radiant energy being related to that the apparent position of the spot on the reticule can be used to indicate the range.

United States Patent Hartman [54] RANGE FINDER TO CONTINUOUSLY DETERMINERANGE UTILIZING A RETICULE HAVING INDICIA [72] Inventor: Robert B.Hartman, Bridgeport,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn.

221 Filed: March 12, 1968 21 Appl.No.: 712,430

[52] US. Cl ..356/3, 33/51 [51] Int. Cl. ..G0lc 3/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..356/1, 4, 8, 3; 33/63, 51, 33/66 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,708,389 4/1929 Kames ..33/51 1,627,097 7 5/1927 Kauch..33/66 [is] 3,682,552 [4 Aug. 8, 1972 Primary Examiner-Rodney D.Bennett, Jr. Assistant Examiner-J. M. Potenza Attorney-D. Vemer SmytheABSTRACT The device and method relates to a range finder which can beused in conjunction with guns, cameras and similar articles, the deviceemploying a source of radiant energy to produce a spot on the target,the spot being discernible on a reticule, the line of sight and the beamof radiant energy being related to that the apparent position of thespot on the reticule can be used to indicate the range.

4 China, 4 Drawing Figures I00 YDS. ZOOYDS.

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INVERTER F I G 4 EYEPIECE I INVENTOR ATTORN RANGE FINDER TO CONTINUOUSLYDETERMINE RANGE UTILIZING A RETICULE HAVING INDICIA This inventionrelates to a range finder which can be used in conjunction with guns,cameras and similar devices.

The prior art has used various types of range finders, most of which usea base line and a movable component which requires a relativelycumbersome and complicated structure. One of the difficulties in priordevices has been that the various moving parts are costly to produce andto assemble and to maintain in adjustment.

In one aspect of the invention, a radiant source of energy is mounted inspaced relation to a reticule so that the line of sight through thereticule is in the same plane as the beam of radiant energy. Thereticule has distance indicating means or indicia thereon so that theposition of the spot in the target plane as it appears on the reticulewill provide an indication of the range. In a further aspect, use inconjunction with firearms, the reticule can have additional indiciaplaced thereon so that the device range finder can be used as a gunsight, the projectile trajectory being taken into account when sightingthe gun.

These and other objects, advantages end features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a rifle having a range finderof the present invention thereon;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the principles of the invention;

- FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a reticule employing the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an optical system that can be used.

Referring to FIG. 2, the invention is described where it is used inconjunction with a range finder for a rifle or gun. A source of energy11, which may produce a visible light, laser beam or any other suitabletype of radiant energy beam 12, is mounted on a sight directing device,such as a telescope 13 with a reticule 14 which is spaced from the eye15. Thus, the reticule is spatially located relative to the eye and alsorelative to the source of radiant energy 1 1. The reticule may comprisea system of visible lines providing a scale or indicia display as isknown in the art. By way of example, the line of sight 16 in theembodiment shown in FIG. 2 at 100 yards will be intercepted at thetarget plane 17 at point 18 which is the intersection of the radiantenergy beam 12 and the line of sight 16. In this instance, the image ofpoint 18 will appear on the reticule or will be discemible thereon inrelation to the indicia on the reticule to indicate 100 yards as shownin FIG. 3. If the target plane 19 is, for example at 200 yards, then theintersection of the new sight line of sight and energy source beam willbe at point 20 which in this form is displaced visibly downwardly fromprevious point 18. If the target is located at a more distant point,such as 500 yards, then the spot will appear at point 21 on target plane22, which is apparently still further displaced downwardly on thereticule so as to indicate 500 yards.

Use of the device as a gun sight will now be $1 855" e rfi ifii iiiiifidl fi xiill i is d is i' 131 sight, it is desirable not to have thespot on the vertical cross-hair 23 since then there would be a tendencyto place the illuminated spot on the target. Thus, a displaced targetscale 24 is located on a separate parallel scale line and the reticulehas calibrated lines 25 leading from vertical cross-hair 24 tocross-hair 23 to compensate for the trajectory of a projectile for thegun concerned. In use, the energy spot in the target plane appears oncross-hair 24, FIG. 3. This spot is initially placed on the target toestablish range. The shooter then traverses the target along theappropriate calibrated line 25 to vertical cross-hair 23. When aimed atthis intersection, the rifle is properly aimed at the target tocompensate for the trajectory. It should be noted that difierentcalibrated reticules may be used for different ammunition.

As schematically shown in FIG. 4 a telescope arrangement can be employedwherein there is an eye piece 26, an inverting lens 27 and an objectivelens 28. The eye is depicted at 15 and the line of sight is at 16corresponding to FIG. 2. The radiant energy source is at 11 and its beamat 12. The reticule 14 is similar to that previously described. Theobject spot on target plane 29 appears at 30 on the reticule.

It should be apparent that variations may be made in the constructionand arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a range finder for determining the range to a target by the eye,the combination including a single reticule having indicia, a radiantenergy spot producing source for providing a spot of energy on thetarget, means supporting said reticule and said energy source in fixedspatial relationship and in angular relation to each other, means forpositioning the eye relative to said reticule and said energy source, aline from the eye of the user to the projected spot of energy on thetarget and the axis of the beam of the energy source being in the sameplane, so that different ranges can be continuously determined by theeye directly from the apparent position of said spot relative to indiciaon said reticule, said spot being actually superimposed on the target.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the reticule has calibratedindicia between indicia indicating the range and vertical sightingindicia means so as to provide compensation for trajectory of aprojectile.

3. A device according to claim 3 wherein there is an objective lens, aninverting lens, an eye piece, and a reticule, the reticule being betweenthe eyepiece and inverter lens.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the radiant energy source is alaser.

Patent No. 3,682,552 Dated August 8, 1972 Inventoflx) Robert B. HartmanIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Patent Front Page, L57] line 6, "to should be -so--.

Column 1, line 26 end" should be --and--. Column 2, line 55, 'claim 3should be --cla.im 2--.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of January 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLET CHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PC4050 USCOMM-DC 60370-P69 U.S. GOVIRNNINT PRINTINGOFFICE: 0-3..35,

UNITED STATES PATENT oTTTcE CERTIFICATE OF CORREfiTiGN Patent No. 3,682,552 Dated August 8, 1972 Inventoflx) Robert B. Hartman It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Patent Front Page, 57] line 6, "to" should be --so--.

Column 1, line 26 end" should be --and--. Column 2, line 55, "claim 3should be --claim 2--.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of January 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM PDQ-105C) (10-69) USCOMM'DC 60378-P69 n u,s. GOVERNMENTPRINTING omcz: In" o-us-au,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,682,552 Dated August 8, 1972 lnve t flx) Robert B. Hartman It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Patent Front Page, 57] line 6, "to" should be --so-.

Column 1, line 26 end" should be --and--. Column 2, line 55, "claim 3should be --c1a.im 2--.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of January 1973.

(SEAL) Attest 1 EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK AttestingOfficer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) USCOMM-DC 0Oa76-P691% us. aovlRNMlNT PRINTING orncz nu 0-166-334.

1. In a range finder for determining the range to a target by the eye,the combination including a single reticule having indicia, a radiantenergy spot producing source for providing a spot of energy on thetarget, means supporting said reticule and said energy source in fixedspatial relationship and in angular relation to each other, means forpositioning the eye relative to said reticule and said energy source, aline from the eye of the user to the projected spot of energy on thetarget and the axis of the beam of the energy source being in the sameplane, so that different ranges can be continuously determined by theeye directly from the apparent position of said spot relative to indiciaon said reticule, said spot being actually superimposed on the target.2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the reticule has calibratedindicia between indicia indicating the range and vertical sightingindicia means so as to provide compensation for trajectory of aprojectile.
 3. A device according to claim 3 wherein there is anobjective lens, an inverting lens, an eye piece, and a reticule, thereticule being between the eyepiece and inverter lens.
 4. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the radiant energy source is a laser.